Welch was charged with aggravated assault after he attacked his common-law wife with a machete

Wayne Welch, 45, a taxi driver of #13 Rivero Street, is at the Belize Central Prison today because he was unable to pay an outstanding fine and could not be bailed after being charged with aggravated assault until this fine was paid.

Welch appeared before Magistrate Dale Cayetano, where he was charged with aggravated assault upon his common-law wife, Tanya Matura, 30, also a resident of #13 Rivero Street.

According to police, Matura reported that she returned from Melchor at about 12:45 p.m. on August 12, and about five minutes later, Welch arrived home. She said that when Welch came into the house, he approached her in a threatening manner, with a machete in his hand.

Matura told police that Welch called her a thief and told her to get out of his house.

Welch initially pleaded guilty to the charge, but after telling the magistrate that he pleaded guilty because he had no one to bail him, the magistrate entered an equivocal plea of not guilty and he was offered bail of $3,000 and one surety of the same amount.

However, court records revealed that Welch owed the court an outstanding fine of $500 since 2005, and it was ordered that he pay the fine before being bailed.

He was unable to pay the outstanding fine and was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until he can make the payment. Welch is expected to return to court on October 22, 2013.